


The One with the Gals on Vacation

by twinswrite (orphan_account)



Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-27
Updated: 2016-08-01
Packaged: 2018-04-23 17:59:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 18,237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4886326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/twinswrite
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The 15ers take the 35ers on vacation to Vancouver, a city filled with nothing but great memories. Shenanigans ensue, a prank war breaks out, two teammates fall in love and nobody knows how to keep a secret.</p><p>Find us now at twinswriteuswnt on tumblr!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Where do we go?

**Author's Note:**

> Here's the first installment kids! Sorry it's kind of boring and slow but it helps provide some context. Feedback is always appreciated! 
> 
> Also can we discuss FIFA 16? I literally cannot stop playing.

Abby Wambach was going to murder her teammates.

Okay maybe not _murder_ , but she was _this_ close to forcing the group of middle aged women to run a pacer test if they didn’t pay attention.

The 15ers and their families had gathered for a normal summer barbecue at Abby and Sarah’s house. Besides enjoying each other’s company and ARod’s killer chicken recipe, tonight they decided on where the team would take their annual vacation.

By “the team” Abby meant only the team. It was their annual chance to regroup, reminisce and enjoy each other’s company without the distraction of spouses and kids.

This year, however, the five oldest girls were invited to attend this year’s vacation. Being that the girls had won their first World Cup; the 15ers agreed that it would be fitting to invite Hallie, Chloe, Vanessa, KAO and Kellan along for the trip.

“You guys, you guys” Abby Wambach yelled over the thirty-some odd people milling around her and Sarah’s living room “sit down, we’ve got to figure this out.”

Her words went unnoticed as people kept jabbering. The younger kids wove in and around their siblings and parents, trying not to get tagged. Kling and Moe were engaged in a spirited “cookie versus doughnut” debate with their 35er counterparts Hal and Chlo.

“Sarah, they like you,” Abby grabbed her wife’s elbow as she walked past holding Hadley Press-Johnston “wrangle them.”

Sarah just pecked Abby on the cheek and shrugged. “Sorry Auntie Babs, busy”

Abby narrowed her eyes at the nickname only her 15er nieces and nephews were allowed to call her.

“You’re a horrible person.”

Thankfully Carli, from her bar stool noticed Wambach’s annoyance and stepped up onto the counter.

“TEAM shut up, sit down and listen”

Everyone stopped in their tracks, suddenly slightly terrified of their teammate and Auntie Carli. The little kids piled onto their mother’s laps, older kids sprawled out on the floor and the rest of the team found seating between the dining room and the living room.

“The floor is yours” Carli smirked, satisfied with her command.

Abby grumbled her thanks, she was still the most seasoned veteran damn it. She walked over to the portable whiteboard, everyone had those in their houses right? Just her? Cool. In her quick coach’s scrawl, Abby drew two columns. One titled “where we’ve been” and the other “Suggestions”

She filled the “Where We’ve Been” column fairly quickly. Paris, Cancun, New York, Gold Coast, London, Breckenridge and the “never to be talked about again” vacation spot of Las Vegas.

Carli, who had joined her by the whiteboard at this point, turned to address the room.

“So this year we’ve decided on a winter vacation for the first two weeks in December. Everyone, minus Boxxy, Cap, Whit, Lori and Naher has already committed to going”

“Moment of shame for Whit, Lori and Alyssa being lame” Pinoe shouted.

The room erupted in a chorus of boos. Whitney, Lori and Alyssa playfully protested, trying to justify missing the annual trip with things like “we already had plans” and “we promised my in-laws” and “I’m pregnant and can’t fly.” Pretty lame excuses if you were to ask the rest of the team.

Abby rolled her eyes. This was going to be a long night.

~

“What about North Carolina?” Suggested HAO “Chapel Hill is gorgeous in the winter”

“I won’t be caught dead in Chapel Hill.” Kellan deadpanned, slipping into her Duke sweatshirt.

HAO laughed “Did you get a return policy on your traitor spawn Tobin?”

Tobin shook her head “Trust me, we’ve tried. No such luck”

“No college towns. Any other valid suggestions?” Abby ran a hand through her hair, exasperated.

They had been at it for an hour and a half and had gotten nowhere. Each suggestion would get shut down by a reminder that they had already been or that one of them already lived there. At this point, Wambach was ready to cancel the trip entirely.

Then Hallie spoke up.

“Wait,” the twenty-one year old piped up from the floor where A-Rod braided her hair “I have an idea”

“Shoot Chip” Abby encouraged.

 “What about Vancouver?”

The dark headed midfielder looked around the room for a beat, letting the room mull over her idea. Once she was satisfied they had all processed the possibility of Vancouver, Hallie continued.

“I think we should go to Vancouver because we have nothing but great memories there. We finally beat Canada in a friendly and you guys won a World Cup.”

“Ugh that Canada game was awful.” Vanessa groaned with the painful memory of being repeatedly fouled.

“We do have some _great_ memories from Vancouver,” Kelley agreed, nudging Hope in the side “right babe?”

Chloe fake gagged “Okay ew”

“Not just for you guys” Ashlyn played along, planting a deep kiss on Ali’s lips.

“Oh my God you guys are disgusting” Hallie groaned.

“Where would we stay?” Abby brought the group back into focus.

Buried deep in her iPad, KAO’s hand shot up from the back of the room, her focus still on the screen in front of her.

“Yes, in the back, baby Irish?”

“There are two rental houses that each sleep fifteen people up at Whistler.” KAO brought her tablet up to the front for her coach to review.

Abby grabbed the iPad, Carli flanked to her side and the co-captains reviewed the homes. They were amazing, Abby had to admit. Five bedrooms with added bunk rooms for the 35ers, an outdoor kitchen and two hot tubs in the common courtyard between the two homes, they were perfect rustic Canadian cabins.

“What’s the budget look like?” ever the mom, Lauren Holiday questioned.

“May I?” KAO tentatively reached for the iPad.

Abby wordlessly handed it over, allowing KAO’s hands to swiftly tap out a few numbers in the calculator. For being as goofy as she was, Kaitlan O’Reilly was a math genius. Teal painted nails factored in a Canadian tax and divided it by the number of families participating.

“It’s going to be around five hundred a person. So it’s well within budget”

Abby and Carli shared a look. It seemed like everyone was on board, they certainly couldn’t complain. Whistler Mountain was gorgeous. It had skiing and snowboarding, shopping, great bars and even better food. There was literally no downside to Vancouver.

“All in favor of going to Whistler Mountain for Gals Week?” Abby put it to a vote.

“Aye” the team agreed, happy they finally found a destination.

“Thank God. Vancouver 2035 it is.”

 

 


	2. Not drunk enough for this

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The 35ers finally go out to the Canadian bars, Kling sucks at pool and everyone agrees that Hallie is gorgeous.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be honest, I've been having a hard time being satisfied with this chapter. It got rewritten about seven times until this came out. I swear to God I have a plan, it's just taking FOREVER. Enjoy and constructive feedback is ALWAYS appreciated/encouraged.

To say that Chloe, Vanessa and Hallie were enthusiastic to finally go out was an understatement. They were _fucking psyched_.

The girls had grown up listening to their aunts recall nights of sipping cocktails during glamourous parties in Los Angeles, singing karaoke at dive bars in London and watching the stars during summer bonfires on the beaches of Portugal. It all sounded so glamorous and perfect that Chloe, Vanessa and Hallie couldn’t wait to go on their own adventures.

Chloe longed for the day that she could be next to her own teammates on a crowded dance floor in Rio drinking mai tai’s. Vanessa patiently waited for long champagne filled nights spent on a yacht on the Mediterranean. Hallie constantly entertained the thought of dancing with her best friends, singing Taylor Swift with a gold medal hanging around her neck.

So yeah, the 35ers had been looking forward to becoming part of the club for some time.

“Kaitlan! Kellan!” Chloe yelled, running down the hall half dressed, to the room the five girls shared.

Tonight was the night that the team decided to check out Whistler’s nightlife. Granted the family of champions had only been in Canada for less than twenty-four hours, but Chloe had been chomping at the bit to go drinking and dancing. It had been MONTHS since she and her friends were standing on tables, scream-singing Ginuwine’s Pony at the top of their lungs. They were long overdue for a drunken night of debauchery.

The team was scheduled to leave in less than ten minutes and Chloe was barely ready. She swears she would have been on time if her overbearing goal keeper mother hadn’t sat Chloe down for twenty minutes and given her a lecture on responsibility and being a role model. But here she was, sprinting down the hall in only her bra and jeans to grab a shirt and her friends.

Desperately in a hurry, the freckle faced keeper didn’t bother knocking before she burst through the bedroom door.

“KAIT CAN I BORROW A SHIRT” she inquired at the top of her lungs.

Her outburst caused her two friends to scream in fear. Chloe watched with nothing but sheer giddiness as a laptop, KAO and Kellan fell off the bed and onto the floor, terrified from Chloe’s intrusion.

“Jesus Chloe, do you know how to knock?” Kellan gritted her teeth in frustration.

“No and why aren’t you two dressed? We’re leaving in like twenty minutes” Chloe wagged a finger.

Kellan and Kaitlan shrugged and looked each other over. KAO wore her dad’s old Carolina lacrosse shirt and a pair of yoga pants. Kellan, staying true to her personality, was in her Batman onesie complete with detachable cape. Chloe admired the fashion choice; she herself owned a similar Iron Man onesie. But that was beside the point, these bitches needed to get ready.

“Kell and I are staying home,” Kaitlan replied, pulling a sheer black top from her suitcase and tossing it to Chloe “we’re like five episodes away from finishing season five of Grey’s”

Chloe rolled her eyes and took the shirt from her friend. Of course they were staying home to finish the worst season of the most heartbreaking show on the planet. Just when she was about to comment on their terrible decision, Hallie rushed into the room.

Now, it wasn’t a secret that Hallie Harris-Krieger was an attractive human. The 2035 national team hadn’t given her the nickname German Goddess for nothing. It was just a cruel fact of life that the other four had to deal with. But tonight the midfielder was looking especially gorgeous. So pretty in fact, Kellan had a hard time keeping her breathing steady.

Kaitlan gave a low whistle “Whoa lookin’ hot Chip”

“Yeah Hal,” Chloe gave Hallie the once over “totally bangin’”

Kellan nodded in agreement, swallowing hard at the sight of the younger woman.

Hallie was wearing leather leggings that perfectly hugged her muscular legs. Her loose white t-shirt exposed a pronounced collar bone and three freckles in the shape of a triangle that Kellan loved tracing with her finger at early hours of the morning. Her eyes moved to Hallie’s hair, with her French braided bangs with a slight curl just below her shoulders.

 _God damn_ that gorgeous hair

Kellan’s mind went through multiple nights where her hands were tangled in Hallie’s dark chocolate strands pulling her closer until their bodies were pressed so tightly together that neither girl could breathe. It was stupid how Hallie’s pure existence turned Kellan on. But that’s what happens when you’re ‘more than friends” with your best friend.

“Thanks guys. Also why aren’t you two dressed?” Hallie furrowed her brow, oblivious to Kellan’s blatant staring.

Kell snapped herself back into reality, trying to refocus without giving herself away. KAO noticed though. Of fucking course Kaitlan would notice. She caught Kellan’s eye and winked facetiously. Kellen ignored her and tucked her knees to her chest, trying to slow down her heart rate and hide the blush forming on her cheeks.

“Irish and Heath bar are staying home to finish Grey’s.”

Hallie forced a smile, ignoring the aching disappointment welling in her stomach. She had been looking forward to getting Kellan alone for the first time in weeks. Now that they weren’t in hotel rooms every week, trying to find time to see each other had gotten increasingly difficult. Especially since they now shared a bedroom with their three pals.  

“Oh okay, have fun you guys. C’mon Chlo we gotta grab Vanessa from A-Rod’s room” Hallie pulled the keeper away from the door.

Chloe nodded, throwing a knowing wink over her shoulder at Kellan. She needed to make a mental note to tease her friend about the mental undressing she had done to the youngest member of their tribe.

Kaitlan waited for the Terror twins to leave before smirking at Kellan, queuing up the next episode of Grey’s on her laptop. Kellan scowled, shimming deep into her blankets.

“So, uh,” KAO waggled her eyebrows, settling into the bed “wanna explain the Hallie heart eyes?”

“Shut up Irish.”

~

Kelley was drunk.

Well, their whole team was drunk but Kelley in particular was _drunk_.

The forward figured her alcohol set in somewhere between shot-gunning Natty Light’s like frat boys with Ashlyn and singing, well slurring, the Stanford fight song with Christen. To be honest the entire night leading up to this point was a blur. It had been a while since Kelley had gotten properly drunk with her rowdy band of best friends and the effects were taking their toll unmercifully.

It also didn’t help that she had been drinking whiskey the entire night.

Kelley sat down at an empty table apart from the team and put her head in her hands. Her teammates were crowded around a pool table, yelling at Kling and JJ who were engaged in a heated battle of billiards. Apparently a week of free babysitting and a Twix bar was on the line. Kling was getting her ass kicked. Who knew Julie was such a billiards badass?

Holy shit the room would not stop spinning.

“You okay there squirrel?” Pinoe laid a hand on Kell’s shoulder, her other offered a glass of water.

Kelley nodded and took the water, grateful for Megan’s thoughtfulness. Even though Pinoe knew how to party, she still kept an eye out for her younger teammates.

“Yeah, just totally realizing that I’m not twenty-one anymore.” She chuckled.

Megan shook her head with a smile and pointed at the vibrating iPhone. “Hey, text your wife back.”

Kelley felt her face drop. She hadn’t even looked at her phone, which had been sitting on the table, for the last hour. She quickly tapped in her passcode and opened the string of texts Hope sent her.

_**She’s a Keeper:** pls  keep an eye on your daughter._

_**She’s a Keeper** : Kelley._

_**She’s a Keeper** : just b/c we had a fight doesn’t mean you can ignore me._

_**She’s a Keeper:** srsly kell, you ignoring me is absolutely ridiculous_

_**She’s a Keeper:** if you or Chloe don’t answer your phones I’m coming down there myself._

Kelley rolled her eyes in frustration. She and Hope had been on a rocky slope for the past six months. Ever since the World Cup they had been arguing and ignoring each other almost every week. Adjusting to not being parents was taking it’s toll on the couple. They thought that this trip might do them good. Getting out of Seattle and the house that now felt way too big for the both of them.

Kell typed out a quick reply, reassuring her wife in short sentences that they were both fine and headed home within the hour. She hit send and as the message sent, Kelley realized that she hadn’t actually seen Chloe since they arrived at the bar.

 _Oh shit_ Kelley rubbed her temples. _Where was her kid?_

Kell swiveled her head around, scanning the packed bar for a glimpse of a freckle faced girl with light brown hair and a mischievous look in her eye. When she couldn’t find Chloe, Kelley used all of her focus to stand up from her seat and find Ashlyn.

If anybody knew where their kids were it would be Ashlyn. With a wife who gave Hope Solo a run for her money as the most paranoid parent, Ashlyn had grown accustomed to knowing her daughter’s whereabouts at all times. So Kell figured, since their kids were attached at the hip, that Ash would be her best bet.

“Hey Harris,” Kelley called in her singsong voice.

Ashlyn, who was deep in conversation with Sydney, looked up from the bar and over to the high pitched voice.

“What’s up Kell?”

“Have you or Syd seen the kids?” Kelley raised an eyebrow.

Ashlyn’s face dropped. To be honest, she hadn’t seen Hallie, Vanessa or Chloe since they arrived at the bar. She quickly looked around, hoping to see her daughter. Syd did the same and when all three came up short of seeing their adult daughters, a look of panic was shared.

“Well shit.”

~

“Is anybody else feeling drastically disappointed or am I just not drunk enough for this?” Vanessa walked over to the table where Chloe and Hallie were sitting, depositing a basket of fries and three beers.

“Nope,” Chloe took a fry and dipped it in ketchup “this is definitely a letdown”

“This fucking sucks” Vanessa grumbled.

Hallie nodded in agreement, taking a swig of her Corona. It was barely ten-thirty and their guardians were shitfaced, currently standing around a single pool table where Kling and JJ were battling it out.

At least the bar was packed because the 15ers had turned into frat boys and their daughters were over it. The girls had tucked themselves away at a corner table, hiding from their embarrassing family, drinking beer and eating fries. Hallie and Vanessa decided to only have a beer each, making sure that somebody in this family stayed sober enough to drive back to the rental houses.

 _They_ were supposed to be the wild ones damn it. Vanessa was supposed to be the one trying to make out with the bartender instead of Morgan. Pinoe and Syd had stolen Hallie and Chloe’s roles of “drunken girl dancing on table one and two.”

Maybe it was the years of daydreaming of this very night that made for such an anticlimactic evening? Either way, Hallie was over it and ready to go home.

“Oh shit,” Chloe squeezed her eyes shut, wishing her vision was incorrect “moms at two o’clock”

Right on cue, as if Chloe had called action, Ashlyn, Kelley and Syd came stumbling over to their offspring with goofy grins plastered on their faces.

“Boo boos,” Syd slid onto Vanessa’s lap and peppered her face with kisses “how is my baby?”

Vanessa, her father’s daughter in looks only, sighed and shook her head. The forward would be lying if she said that some part of her didn’t enjoy Syd’s drunken antics. Sober Syd was already pretty affectionate with her kids but sloshed Syd outdid herself. Vanessa had missed that since being away from home. She might have been dubbed Queen of Sass but Vanessa Rhyan Dwyer was still her Mama’s girl.

“Having a good time Mommy?” V teased.

While V listened to her mom babble on about her night, Kelley had Chloe’s head pressed tightly against her chest, stroking the twenty-two year old’s hair gently.

“Did you know that you’re my favorite kid?” Kelley slightly rocked back and forth.

Chloe rolled her eyes. _Here they go again_

Kelley had a habit, Chloe found out in her twenty-first year, that her mother liked to brag about her. Like “go up to strangers and whip out her phone and launch into Chloe’s life story” brag about her.

At first it was great, knowing that even when inebriated her parents were proud of her. But as time wore on and strangers began to come up to her, explaining that her freckle faced mother had cornered them in some bar in Seattle to tell them all about the time Chloe pretended to be a dog for three days, it got concerning.

“I know Mama,” Chloe tried pulling away only to have Kelley pull her back again “I’ve seen my birth video.”

“Your birth video is so gross.” Hallie commented, standing up motioning for her counterparts to do the same. The group got up and headed towards the door, beckoning the others to follow.

“Not it is not” Kelley took Chloe’s hand, leading her like she was a toddler again “it’s beautiful”

“No it’s disgusting Kell” Ashlyn held the door open for the team “but not as bad as Ali’s. I flashbacks during sex for months”

“OH MY GOD MA,” Hallie herded various drunken 15ers between the two cars she and Vanessa were driving. “I’m telling Mom you said that”

Ashlyn gave her daughter a shit eating grin before slipping into the passenger seat of the black Prius. Hallie rolled her eyes and shut the door after her mother.

“You remember where you’re going Chip?” Vanessa called from the red Prius

Hallie nodded, getting into the driver's seat “Yeah, also tomorrow night we're leaving these assholes at home and going out by ourselves. Agreed?”

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this was weird. Also thinking of hiring a Beta b/c I can't be trusted to edit by myself anymore. Any takers?


	3. Meddling Mama Morgan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex swears she didn't mean to eavesdrop and Tobin is a little shit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick little Talex update before the lengthier one sometime tomorrow! I'm super stoked for the next chapter, it's gonna be fun :)   
> Also had to pay a little homage to my hockey queen and wife Hilary Knight because DAMN SHE IS A BAD ASS.

Alex Morgan-Heath wasn’t a parent who actively meddled in her child’s private life. She wasn't like Hope or Kelley who sat their daughter's dates down and gave them extensive lectures on responsibility or how many ways they could hide a body. Nor did Alex consider herself to take after Ali and Ashlyn, who gushed over their child's significant others, trying way too hard to come off as the "cool and hip" parents. The Morgan-Heath family played it cool, making whomever Kellan brought home as comfortable as possible but allowing for space and minimal judgement. If Kellan wanted to talk about her dating life then Alex and Tobin would listen intently and give whatever advice their daughter needed. An open door policy was encouraged and for the most part it worked.  

But despite Kellan’s willingness to disclose her personal life, Alex always felt a small obligation to give her kid a push every now and then. Which is how Alex found herself standing behind a cracked bedroom door at six in the morning, eavesdropping on her daughter’s conversation.

To be fair, Alex had gone downstairs to the kitchen to get Tobin and herself coffee. Really, her original intentions were pure but once she heard a raspy voice much like her own, Alex had no choice than to stop. Call it her motherly intuition or something? It didn’t matter. Alex would figure it out later when she inevitably had to explain herself to her wife.

“I really, really like her and I just don’t want to mess it up” Kellan’s voice carried through the crack.

“Oh honey, she’s your teammate first. You’ve got to be honest with her.” Lauren Cheney’s voice soothed even Alex who wasn’t even distressed.

Alex sipped her coffee, listening to the advice Lauren was giving her daughter. This situation was intriguing. Who did Kellan have a crush on? Why didn’t she know about this beforehand? The former forward’s mind raced through the twenty-three young women on the 2035 national team that could have possibly caught her daughter’s eye.

Chloe O’Hara-Solo? _No, she’s too extroverted for Kellan’s comfort_

Olivia Conrad? _Definitely taken judging by her instagram_

Hallie Harris-Krieger? _They’re too much like sisters and her twitter is basically dedicated to Brooke Knight_

Kaitlan O’Reilly? _Single, definitely likes Kellan, comes from a good family. Maybe it's KAO_

“You’re right, I’ll go talk to her. Thanks Chen”

Snapping back to reality, Alex heard Kellan get up from the bed and move across the room. She gripped both coffees and using her baby horse speed, Alex hurried down the hall and back upstairs to her and Tobin’s bedroom.

“Babe,” Alex shouldered the bedroom door closed behind her “you’ll never guess what I heard”

Tobin, who had been peacefully reading  in bed, just smiled and finished her current paragraph. She had gotten used to her wife bursting into their bedroom with some piece of news, barely able to contain her excitement. It was adorable; the way Alex turned into a little kid bursting with a secret that she just had to share with her best friend. The younger woman set her book on the nightstand and patted the empty space to her left for her wife to join her.

“Good morning to you too Lex”

Alex grinned and moved over to her side of the bed, simultaneously handing her wife the coffee and kissing her cheek.

“Uh that was weak,” Tobin grabbed Alex’s chin and kissed her lips firmly.

Alex relaxed into the kiss, finally ready to start her morning. That’s the way it had been for almost twenty-three years. The former forward always felt off if her day wasn’t jump started by slightly chapped lips on hers or if she wasn’t woken up by Tobin’s hands drawing patterns on whatever bare skin happened to be showing that morning. Her routine was cheesy and domestic as hell but Alex couldn't imagine waking up any other way. 

“Okay, now that the morning has officially begun, what’s this amazing news you have for me?” the midfielder raised an eyebrow, sipping her drink.

“Apparently, our daughter has a crush on a teammate” Alex stage-whispered.

Brown eyes grew wide with a burning curiosity. Kellan had taken after Tobin in the romance department, her “almost too chill for her own good” demeanor often confused people. It wasn’t that Kellan was disinterested. No, Tobin knew that her kid was always too worried about causing a ripple in whatever friendship she had built with a potential partner beforehand. So whenever Kellan came to her mothers with the revelation of a new crush, it was a big deal.

“On who and when did she tell you this?”

Alex bit her lip and felt the beginnings of a blush warm her cheeks. “Well Kell didn’t exactly tell me,”

Tobin looked her wife dead in the eye, waiting for the inevitable confession of eavesdropping. Alex put her hands up in surrender, there was no use fighting it. Tobin would always find out sooner or later and she might as well get verbally berated now.

“Okay, fine. I was getting YOU coffee because I’m the greatest wife ever and I happened to walk by Lauren’s room and heard her and Kellan talking.”

“If our daughter finds out you’re dead Alex Morgan-Heath,” the younger woman chuckled “but who is it on?”

Lex ran a hand through her hair and shrugged. “Didn’t catch that part, but I’m thinking it’s Kaitlan”

“Really? And not Hallie?”

“They’re too much like sisters and isn’t Hal seeing Hilary Knight’s kid Brooke? She plays for DC’s NWHL team I think. ”

The couple took a beat, contemplating the new information, taking sips of their coffee and staring through the windows at the blizzard raging on outside. Tobin was a bit skeptical, Kellan and Hallie reminded her too much of herself and Alex back before they dated. Best friends who did everything together, played for the same teams and felt off-balance when the other wasn’t there. Then again, those two acted the same way with Chloe, Kaitlan and Vanessa. Maybe they did have a crush on each other or maybe it was just being really good best friends.

But Tobin also wasn’t above finding out the necessary information from an outside source.

“I’m gonna talk to Lauren about it.” Tobin thought aloud

“Look at you, meddling Mama” the older teased.

“Whatever, at least I didn’t follow my daughter’s first girlfriend on twitter and favorite ten of her tweets” Tobin shot back, getting up from the bed.

“THAT WAS ONE TIME” Alex howled, embarrassed by her moment of weakness during Kellan’s freshman year in high school.

“Right Lex,” Tobin walked towards their attached bathroom, stripping her shirt off as she went “I need to shower.”

She felt Alex’s eyes, unabashedly objectifying her wife’s rippling back muscles, probably biting her lip in tandem. Tobin secretly loved making Alex squirm. It was too easy to get Alex Morgan turned on by a simple stretch or teasing brush of her hand. And because Tobin was a little shit, she reached up and lightly tapped the bathroom’s door frame, fully extending her reach defining each little muscle from her tailbone to her shoulders.

“So we should probably conserve water right?” Alex’s voice was rough, almost a growl.

Tobin looked over her bare shoulder and shrugged, taking one hand and deftly shimming out of her pajama shorts. When her pants hit the floor an audible gasp could be heard from across the room. Tobin smirked, _way too easy_.

**“Probably” was all the confirmation Alex needed.**


	4. Never the right time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just two kids, falling in love with each other.

_Tell her everything you just told me. If I know Hallie, and I like to think I do, she feels the same way. Hal’s a lot like Aunt Ash where she doesn’t do anything half assed and that means falling in love too._

Lauren’s words bounced around Kellan’s head as she quietly walked back down the hall to her bedroom.

Since she was a kid, Kellan had found solace in her Aunt A-Rod and Aunt Lauren. They were like the cool older sisters Kell never had. Whenever Alex was being especially overbearing or if Tobin was getting a little too micromanaging on the field, Kellan called up Amy and Lauren. This was why it made perfect sense that Kellan found herself in Cheney’s room discussing the Hallie situation.

Kellan had confided to Lauren about her crush on Hallie since the beginning. In fact, Kellan had called her about fifteen minutes after their first kiss. Her aunt listened with a smile and a slight pang of nostalgia. The way Kellan, in her scratchy cadence, shyly gushed about how perfect that kiss underneath the nets of the goal was the exactly how Tobin sounded all those years ago.

Cheney was a firm believer in soulmates and it was eerie how the relationship between Alex and Tobin was mirrored in Hallie and Kellan. So of course she was nothing but supportive when Kellan had come to her, asking her advice on how she should approach asking Hallie to officially be her girlfriend.  Lauren was also incredibly grateful that the twentysomethings figured their shit out exponentially faster than their counterparts and she told Kellan so.

“As much as you hate to hear it, you’re exactly like your mother. But you’re much smarter, so go tell her how you feel.” Lauren smiled, giving Kellan a parting hug.

“You’re right,” Kellan nodded “I’ll go talk to her, thanks Aunt Chen”

“Anytime sweet pea”

Kellan made her way back upstairs into the loft set up where the “Little Girls,” as their parents referred to them _still_ , were sleeping. The forward stood in the doorway, slight smirk on her face, watching over her four best friends.

Vanessa was spread eagle on the top bunk, hand dangling through the protective slat, snoring softly. Kaitlan slept directly below the Dwyer’s oldest child. Her strawberry blonde hair splayed across her Tarheel pillowcase and she began sleep murmuring about whatever went on in Baby Irish dreamland.

Kellan shifted her gaze to the second bunk bed. She let out a soft laugh, seeing Chloe and Hallie dead asleep squished opposite together in the bottom bunk. Chloe’s head rested against Hallie’s feet, getting a small trail of drool on Hal’s heels. Kellan rolled her eyes when she saw what Chloe had gone to bed in. The internationally feared keeper was wearing matching button down flannel pajamas with the stuffed squirrel Chloe had tucked safely under her arm.

_Actual five year old Chloe O’Hara_

“Kell,” a thick sleep ridden murmur got Kellan’s attention.

Hallie, with her eyes closed, poked her hand out from underneath the thick quilt and beckoned Kellan over.

Kell pushed herself off of the door frame and padded softly to the Hallie’s end of the bunk bed. The older tentatively slipped stray hairs that had fallen out of Hallie’s top knot, back behind her ear as she knelt by the bed, level with Hal’s face. Kellan pulled her legs to her chest, resting her chin on her knees, completely enchanted by the girl lying in front of her.

“Hi” Kellan whispered breathlessly

Hallie cracked an eye open, a smile playing at the edge of her mouth. The pair stared at each other, finally being able to take a moment for only each other. Hazel eyes sparkled at green ones and identical lovesick grins plastered on both of their faces. Kellan watched Hallie’s hands, small for her size, reach for her face until the younger pulled her in for a soft morning kiss. At the touch of lips, slightly tasting of last night's’ alcohol, Kellan melted. Hallie Blaire Harris-Krieger, with a single kiss, reduced Kellan Abigail Morgan-Heath into a speechless puddle.

_Her fucking kryptonite_

“Hey” Hallie responded, pressing her forehead against Kellan’s.

“Wanna go downstairs? We need to talk” Kellan’s voice took an oddly serious tone. Nervous, even, which was an unusual trait for Hallie to see in the normally confident woman.

Confused, Hallie opened her mouth to agree. Before she could get a word out, Chloe sat up and rubbed her eyes. Kellan visibly deflated. Every damn time something important came up, _somebody_ was there to ruin the moment. No wonder it took her parents years to finally admit they loved each other. They had a whole team of mood killers too.

Kellan huffed and stood up “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me”

“Looks like the kids are up” Hall offered apologetically, pressing one quick kiss to Kellan’s hand before dropping it. “Wake up KAO and V will you? Those two will sleep until noon if we let them.”

Kellan nodded, skipping across the room to jump in bed next to Kaitlan who was met with deafening protests. Chloe, who was awake by then, rolled over on top of her best friend to watch the shenanigans happening one bunk over.

“Get her Kell!” Chloe hollered wildly, encouraging Kellan to keep smacking Kaitlan with her pillow.

“CHLOE MAUREEN O’HARA GET OFF” Hallie wriggled beneath her best friend, quickly feeling the air drain from her lungs.

Chloe smirked and rolled back onto her side but not before shoving Hallie off of the bed. Kellan, who finally let off of Kaitlan, got a wild look in her eye. One that Chloe had only seen when the forward was about to send a screamer into the goal.

This situation had no way of ending well.

“Oh god,” was all Chloe could get out before Kellan bounded across the room, bouncing off the corner of the single twin bed, pillow in hand to beat the shit out of Chloe.

Hallie crawled away from the massacre only to be pinned down from behind by none other than Kaitlan who was now tickling Hallie mercilessly. Not wanting to feel left out, V joined in on the action, springing from her position on the top bunk down to the floor with her body pillow in tow.

“THIS. IS. CANADA” Vanessa somehow managed to rip her t-shirt in half; Hallie would have to ask about that later, adding the fuel to their “every-woman-for-herself” pillow war.

While Kellan and Chloe were battling it out on the bunk bed, Hallie and Vanessa took on Kaitlan who had found higher ground jumping on Kellan’s bed. They were giggling so hard and teasing each other so loudly that they forgot two tiny details.

One: it was six-thirty in the morning.

Two: Carli Lloyd and Abby Wambach slept in the room right next door.

“What the hell are you guys doing?”

The room fell silent. Carli Lloyd, half asleep and thoroughly pissed, stood in the doorway giving the five girls her best death glare. Vanessa reached for a spare shirt while avoiding eye contact, remembering that bears were often provoked if you looked them straight on.

Kaitlan bit her lip, choking back laughter. She couldn’t help it. Their beloved grumpy Aunt Carli’s hair resembled a bird nest, her Hulk boxers and two-sizes-too-big t-shirt hung off of her frame. She looked like the morning after and it was hilarious. Apparently the other three did as well because they were gripping their pillows, trying to pull themselves together.

“I said,” Carli took a step forward prompting the girls to retreat back “what the hell are you doing, screaming at six-fucking-thirty”

Five pairs of eyes had a silent discussion, all agreeing that they had better admit defeat rather than fight for their freedom. Besides, they were dealing with Aunt Carli and not Aunt Carlos.

There was an unspoken agreement between the 15er kids that Carli Lloyd had two personalities. There was Aunt Carlos and Aunt Carli.

Aunt Carlos let herself get nutmegged by six year olds, read books before bedtime and watched endless Disney movies despite claiming to hate them.

Aunt Carli was an entirely different beast. Carli was lethal; a combination of pure athleticism, fury and wit. She meant business with absolutely no room for arguments. If you got caught doing something wrong by Aunt Carli, you prepared for the worst and cancelled your plans because your ass was getting grounded.

So really, surrender was their only viable option; except surrender wasn’t going to come with complete submission.

“Sorry Aunt Carlos” the five answered in unison, barely able to contain their giggling.

It took all Carli had to suppress the smile threatening to burst onto her face. Sure she was pissed that the girls woke her up at an ungodly hour during her vacation, and that they used the dumbest nickname, but Carli adored the spunk and sweetness her nieces brought to her life.

“That’s what I thought. Now go downstairs, A-Rod is making cinnamon rolls.”

Without a second thought, five bodies rushed past her and down the stairs to the kitchen. Being last to the breakfast table when Amy was making her world famous cinnamon rolls was on the same level as getting an own goal.

It didn’t happen.

~

“Wait, what the hell? How long has this been going on?!” Chloe all but spit out her whiskey ginger.

Hallie shrugged, taking her time sipping her own double gin and tonic. The pair had gone out to lunch, electing to side inside and drink while their family split up to go skiing or shopping in the village. Hallie had barely made it through their first round of drinks before letting Chloe in on the secret she had been keeping to herself for way too long.

 “Uh, since we played Sweden at the end of pool play during World Cup?”

Chloe’s jaw dropped so fast Hal thought she may have dislocated it. The keeper sat back in her chair, a little bit in denial but mostly out of shock.

Her two best friends had been sleeping together for six months and they hadn’t told her.

Honestly Chloe couldn’t even be mad. Kellan was the world’s worst secret keeper and Hallie had a bigger guilty conscience than their Aunt Morgan. Frankly she was impressed more than anything. But Chloe did have to berate herself a little bit. She had been so clueless to the underlying sexual tension floating around their tribe of five.

Damn her O’Hara genes.

“Not gonna lie,” Chloe stabbed a piece of her pasta with her fork, waving the tortellini in Hal’s direction “I am a little pissed you didn’t tell me immediately after but I am happy for you. I now also know why you played so well against China”

“Thanks Chlo. I am sorry I didn’t tell you sooner also you’re disgusting.” The midfielder nodded in appreciation.

“No prob Chip, so are you guys actually dating or are you just fucking?”

Hal snorted “Eloquent as always Dale but I don’t actually know. I don’t think Kell wants that.”

“I did graduate from Leland Stanford Junior University. What makes you think she doesn’t want to date?”

Hallie shook her head; she honestly didn’t know the answer. Kellan treated her so well. Kellan always had time to hear whatever anxieties Hallie had swimming in her brain. She remembered what Hallie ordered at the bar or at the little Mexican place in Portland they both gushed over. For all intents and purposes, Kellan and Hallie acted and did things like _girlfriends_.

Except for call each other girlfriends.

“She’s just so God damn relaxed all the time. Nothing visibly fazes her and I’ve tried bringing up the subject but something or someone always interrupts. I don’t want to pressure her because I know how she feels about keeping soccer first and I’m totally on board with that. But I also don’t want to keep sneaking around hotel rooms and being stuck in this place of ‘we’re almost dating’ because it fucking sucks.”

Chloe noticed the slight hitch in Hallie’s voice, her tell-tale sign that tears were soon on their way. She reached across the table, taking her best friend’s hand in her own and rubbing her thumb across Hallie’s fidget ring.

“Hal,” Chloe waited for hazel eyes to meet hers. Hallie lifted her head, a few tears falling down her cheeks.

“Hallie, I’ve known the both of you since we were fetuses. If anybody is more in love with you, besides me and like that creepy aeronautics kid in our freshmen seminar, it’s Kellan. I may have been oblivious to it but now that I think about it, she’s head over fucking cleats for you. That woman destroyed me with a pillow because I pushed you off of a bunk bed. She loves you. Just give her time babe.”

A watery laugh escaped Hallie’s throat as she nodded, wiping her eyes with her free hand. Chloe was right; she just had to let Kellan take her own time even if every passing minute sent Hallie closer to losing her mind. Losing her mind was one hundred percent worth it if it meant Kellan was waiting for her at the end. But Hal did have to wonder, would there ever be a right time for Kellan?

She ignored the nagging in her mind and motioned for the waiter to bring her another drink.

“God, you’re such a sap,” Hal teased “but thank you, you’re the best”

“Well yeah kid,” Chloe retracted her hand and returned to her whiskey “I’m the fucking best.”

~

Late that night, while the entire family was watching a movie in the living room, Chloe formulated a plan. She hated seeing Hallie this distraught. So, considering Kellan wasn’t exactly the master at romance, the Stanford Physics grad figured she better step in. Burrowing herself deeper into Hope’s side, where Chloe was sure she’d gain a little privacy, gold painted fingernails tapped out a text.

**ChloSolo: KAO. I’m in need of assistance.**

**Baby Irish: State of emergency?**

**ChloSolo: Operation Blue Cardinal. Meet me in the kitchen tom. morning at 7am**

**Baby Irish: ABOUT TIME THOSE FUCKERS GOT TOGETHER**

**Baby Irish: I’VE BEEN LITERALLY WAITING FOR THIS DAY SINCE BIRTH**

**Baby Irish: but yes, c u in the am.**

Chloe locked her phone and smirked. With Kaitlan on board and a fool proof plan in her back pocket, Chloe was convinced that by the time they left Canada, Hallie and Kellan would be exclusive. Because really, what could go wrong?

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really enjoyed writing this one you guys. My kids are just disgustingly in love with each other. As always, feedback is appreciated and to those of you who have left me comments, I am head over cleats for you :) Thank you so much!


	5. Seven AM Schemes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Chloe is a morning person and Kaitlan knows everything.
> 
> *drink every time I used the word scheme*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick lil baby update before the big one next weekend (it's 15er af)  
> Comments, concerns and everything else are always appreciated.  
> I also cried during 90% of the game today. Missin' you already Chups and Cheney.

Kaitlan loved Chloe, really she did. But the kid was too _god damn chipper_ at seven in the morning.

The Carolina alum stood by the microwave, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes and waiting for her tea while Chloe excitedly recounted her lunch with Hallie the previous afternoon. It took every ounce of self-control Kaitlan had to not put her hand over the keeper’s mouth to shut her up.

 She really shouldn’t have been surprised. Chloe had been like that since they were kids; jabbering away on four-thirty in the morning flights or waking her friends up at sunrise on precious days off. Chloe was a morning person and KAO still wasn’t used to it twenty years later.

The two girls were alone in the kitchen, eating cereal and discussing the romance between their best friends. As her freckly friend elaborated on a scheme she cooked up the previous night, the red head sipped her tea and thought about the Hallie-Kellan tryst.

Kait would like to preface that she fucking called that shit almost four years ago when Hal got her first call up to training camp.

Kellan and Kait had already been regular call-ups for that last year, juggling their freshmen years in college with the pressures of being national team members. Sure Kaitlan had taken Hallie under her wing; inviting her out on nights off or going over plays with her. But she didn’t go to the lengths Kellan did to ‘welcome’ the young midfielder.

Kaitlan smiled, nodding at whatever Chloe was saying (she was absolutely not listening) and reflecting on how terrible Kellan’s attempts at flirting were.

 - **There were the “oh I was already out and saw these” Costco sized packs of gummy sharks on Hallie’s bed.** _Who was Kellan fooling? We ALL know that you can only get gummy sharks on Amazon and they’re expensive as hell._

- **Or the “I just guessed on your complicated order” coffee deliveries at seven AM.** _Dude, you can barely remember to brush your teeth in the morning. How the FUCK did you remember Hallie’s coffee order after three years of being apart._

- **For the grand finale, and Kaitlan’s personal favorite, was the “My mom sent me flowers. Just so happens that I’m allergic but you love flowers. They’re you’re favorite? Weird”** _Real subtle Heath, nobody’s mother just sends a dozen roses in pristine condition just to say ‘I’m thinking of you’. I know your mother. She’s not that kind of lady._

“I just want to make sure she feels at home KAO” Kellan exclaimed when Kaitlan called her out on her actions.

“Welcome her where Kell? Your pants?”

The Tarheel freshman had only raised an eyebrow, electing to ignore the blush that had flooded Kellan’s face. She didn’t bring up the subject again, but Kaitlan knew. Kaitlan had always known.

“Hello?” Chloe’s voice snapped the older girl into reality

“Sorry dude, what’d you say?”

“I said I’m going to need you to pretend to date Hallie so Kellan grows a pair and commits.”

Kaitlan froze, mug halfway up to her mouth.

“What”

“You heard me” a dark eyebrow raised, challenging her friend to dispute.

The older girl put her mug down on the table and gave the younger an incredulous stare. She knew that Chloe had a lot of asinine schemes in the past. A few had gotten them in trouble (they were still paying for Jill Ellis’s broken window), some had even panned out for the best (Hallie did end up getting a puppy that Christmas) but this was by far the dumbest.

“Stanford,” KAO leaned back in her chair “I love you but that is the dumbest thing that’s come out of your mouth this week. Why don’t I just talk to Kellan about Hallie?”

Chloe groaned as she tossed back the leftover milk in her bowl. Logically she knew that Kaitlan was right. It would save them time and effort if their oldest member talked some sense into her second in command. But Chloe had gone on a Rom-Com bender the night before and her mind was swimming with epic scale romantic gestures.

“But that’s no fun Kaity”

“Don’t call me Kaity, but I think I have an idea. However it does require enlisting the professionals”

“Dude…” the doubt in Chloe’s voice was apparent. She knew exactly who Kaitlan was referring to. It was a risky move; two slightly unreliable variables that could make or break the operation.

“Trust me Clover”

Kaitlan, in a low and rushed voice, proceeded to detail her scheme as the first waking members of the family began to file into the kitchen. Chloe felt a grin creep onto her face. Kaitlan was onto something and she was definitely on board.

Once the redhead was finished talking the girls rushed out of the kitchen. They maneuvered through their waking aunts and narrow hallways until the scheming pair found themselves in the upstairs family room. Chloe and Kaitlan hesitated in the doorway, watching their targets battle it out on FIFA.

“HOW THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT?” the shorter one responded, throwing her controller down from her perch on the couch, watching a slow-motion replay of Christine Sinclair getting nutmegged by Whitney Engen.

The younger smirked, throwing her long brown hair up into a ponytail. “Just admit it, I’m better than you.”

“NEVER” the older hissed, getting up to leave but halted in her tracks once she saw her nieces.

“What’s good Chlo-Solo and baby Irish?”

Kaitlan stepped forward “Aunt Meghan, Aunt Moe, could you help us out with something?”


	6. Pantry plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kellan confesses everything, a plan is put in motion and KlingenMoe are still dorks.

“Really,” Kellan furiously whispered “a closet? You couldn’t have chosen, I don’t know, literally anywhere else? Also why the hell do you have Kling and Moe guarding the door?”

Chloe and Kaitlan rolled their eyes, locking the door behind them. KAO fumbled for a minute, trying to find the light switch in the dark. Once the small overhead bulb lit the pantry up in a warm yellow light, Kellan fixed her best glare on her teammates.

All Kellan wanted to do that morning was sit in the sun room, drink some hot chocolate, read a book while the snow fell outside and maybe go boarding later. That was it. Instead, she was dragged out of the kitchen (mid hot chocolate prep) and shoved into a small room by two Irish idiots.

“First of all it’s a pantry because we’re not _that_ cliché. Secondly, Kling and Moe aren’t important right now, thirdly what’s going on with you and Chip?” Chloe interrogated.

The honey haired forward’s face went red and her demeanor dropped from anger to embarrassment. Kellan shrugged, avoiding all eye contact with the two pairs of eyes trained on her. She figured that she had two options.

One was to vehemently deny everything; keeping up the charade that her and Hallie were just best friends. It had worked for so long; Kellan was practically a professional at keeping her “non-relationship-relationship” under wraps. Faking it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world; it was a familiar fall back.

The second was to tell them everything. Start from the beginning and never look back; explaining every minute detail about falling into extreme like with the mumbling midfielder. Kellan could finally admit to her two best friends that after years of watching Hallie date other people, after being on separate coasts their entire lives, Hallie was _finally_ hers.

“How’d you guys find out?” Kellan’s question was barely above a whisper.

KAO and Chloe softened at Kell’s words. They had honestly expected to use brute force and blackmail in the form of snapchat screenshots. They weren’t prepared to handle the teary eyed girl squished in between them, wearing an oversized long-sleeved shirt and Nike pros.

Kaitlan put a hand on Kellan’s bicep, smoothing out imaginary wrinkles with her thumb.

“Babe, I’ve known since freshman year and Freckles here can’t keep her mouth shut”

The youngest girl shrugged, fully owning up to the accusation “What can I say? I’m a sucker for love. How’d it happen though?”

Kellan forced a chuckle, wiping her eyes with her sleeves before launching into the story. She recounted, in more detail than Chloe wanted to hear, the night of their World Cup game against Sweden. They all remembered how Hallie had jumped into Kellan’s arms, sprinting one hundred and twenty yards to do so, after the final whistle blew. Hal’s hazel eyes lighting up with nothing but pride, her voice whispering into a triple pierced ear musings of how proud she was.

Kellan blushed as she stumbled over the words to explain what happened in their hotel room that night; how years of seemingly unrequited love were put to rest as Hallie dug her fingernails into Kellan’s back.

“Guys, it’s so stupid but when she jumped into my arms, I guess I just _knew_.” Kellan’s face lit up with the biggest smile Chloe or KAO had ever seen on the typically stoic forward.

“Oh my god, you just described sex with my best friend that’s disgusting” Chloe squirmed, earning her a flick on the back of the head from Kaitlan.

“But,” KAO’s voice took a serious note “what’s stopping you from making things official with Hal?”

The girls stood in silence for a few moments, allowing Kellan to gather some sort of explanation. The forward fidgeted with the hem of her shirt, pulling her thoughts together.

“What if she says no? Like being best friends who have sex is fun but being girlfriends has so much more pressure and I don’t know if Hal wants that.”

“Oh my _fucking_ God” Chloe let out her best groan, placing both of her hands firmly on Kellan’s shoulders. She was absolutely done with these two lovesick assholes not talking to each other.

“Okay Heath bar, I get that you graduated from Duke and therefore are automatically not the most educated human in this pantry,”

KAO gasped, reaching out to slap Chloe but the younger girl dodged her hand “Jesus Christ Chloe”

“But,” Chloe stuck her tongue out, silencing Kaitlan “besides myself, you are the most educated on the subject of Hallie. And do you honestly think that the German Goddess is not in love with you?”

Biting her lip and taking Chloe’s words to heart, Kellan slowly shook her head no. Chloe lightly squeezed Kell’s shoulder and continued on her soliloquy.

“Can you look me in the eye and tell me that the girl, who once stayed up with your flu ridden ass all night, the night before a championship game, is not the same girl who you claim doesn’t love you?”

“No.”

Satisfied, the younger girl gave a definitive head nod and released her grip on her teammate. Kaitlan was impressed with Chloe’s speech even if it was slightly unorthodox. But she genuinely couldn’t complain, unorthodox was how they did things. Whether it was on the pitch, in the classroom or in increasingly hot pantries discussing your two best friends falling in love; the Tribe of Five was anything but normal.

“So now that Poet Laureate O’Hara is done word vomiting, we have a plan to run by you.”

~

Meghan and Morgan anxiously waited outside of the pantry, guarding it with their lives until their devious nieces were finished talking about whatever they needed to discuss. Twenty minutes and four diversions later, fucking Pinoe would _not_ take a hint, the three young women came out of the pantry.

“Okay now that your illuminati meeting is finished, would you mind debriefing us on what shenanigans you’re up to?” Moe crossed her arms, Kling quickly following suit.

Looking around the small alcove the five women had somehow managed to squish themselves in, Kaitlan decided that the coast was clear and gave her two favorite aunts the quick rundown.

“Long story short Kellan and Hallie are in love but Kellan needs to put a proverbial ring on it. What we need from you two is to keep Chip occupied and completely away from the sun room. Can you do that?”

Meghan and Morgan, who were never ones to back down from a mission, saluted their oldest niece firm salutes. They totally had this in the bag. How hard would it be?

“A mission of love, reminds me of the Presston days” Kling jokingly clutched her heart, missing the horrified expressions that came over the 35ers.

Kaitlan, Kellan and Chloe had heard the disastrous tale multiple times. Back before any of them could kick a soccer ball, a plan was put in motion by the 15ers to get their two precious cinnamon rolls to admit their love.

Apparently avoiding your feelings for your teammate is a genetic trait.

Moe and Meghan were given the task of delivering little clues that sent Julie on a city wide scavenger hunt, leading her straight into Christen’s arms in the end. Along the way Kling and Moe had somehow mixed up the clues; leaving a half frozen Julie at the wrong restaurant under the impression that Press had stood her up.

To say it was a catastrophe was putting it mildly. Julie and Christen had gotten into a fight, insisting that the other had abandoned her. Four hours later and a ten minute long apology from Dumb and Dumber, Press and JJ had sorted through the wreckage and salvaged their relationship.

“You almost broke up Aunt Christen and Aunt JJ.” Chloe’s voice was void of any emotion. Anybody who threatened the relationship of her and Hallie’s godparents was not welcome with the young keeper.

Morgan became indignant at that point. “Alright sassy pants, it wasn’t _entirely_ our fault. If MEGHAN hadn’t dropped the index cards in the snow,”

“Whoa whoa whoa there Brian” Kling prepared a counter argument but was quickly cut short by Kellan’s hand over her mouth.

“Oh my God shut up. Can you pull your shit together for two hours? Two hours is literally all I’m asking of you. Can you handle that?”

Moe and Kling visibly deflated, pouting like children, and nodded their heads silently. Kellan removed her hand from Meghan’s face and turned to KAO. The three girls conferenced; expressing their opinions in the forms of grunts and shrugs. Their aunts watched with slight fascination; those girls were so much like their parents that it freaked Meghan and Morgan out a little bit.

Once a consensus was reached, Chloe whipped out her phone and began rapidly texting while Kaitlan turned her attention back on her aunts.

“In thirty minutes, find Hallie. I think she’s upstairs in Aunt Ali and Ash’s room. Take her somewhere, literally anywhere that’s going to keep your attention for a few hours. Chlo will text you when we’re ready. And you are not, I repeat, **you are not allowed to tell Hallie anything.** ”

“Vanessa’s in,” Chloe looked up from her phone once her friend replied “we’re sending V with you so it doesn’t look suspicious.”

Morgan huffed, crossing her arms and looking down at her feet. “We don’t need a babysitter”

A beat passed, and then all five women erupted into laughter, realizing how ridiculous the entire exchange had been. After giggles were had and the strategy confirmed, Chloe took Meghan and Morgan to find Vanessa and fill her in, leaving Kellan and Kaitlan on their own.

They began to head upstairs to their bedroom, getting everything finalized in hushed tones. KAO and Kellan were discussing the script Kell was going to play off of when they passed by the downstairs bathroom and halted their walk at the bottom of the stairs. Of course Kell ran through the standard "you're my best friend and I love you" bit. Surprisingly, there was an unexpected anecdote Kell threw in that KAO was not ready for but the moment she heard it, Kait knew that Hallie would melt on sight. 

“And I just wanted to know if you’d do me the honor of being my girlfriend.” Kellan practiced.

Kaitlan nodded along. She was getting increasingly excited for their plan to come into fruition. Kellan was her other half and Hallie was like her baby sister. If anybody was going to fall in love with their best friend, Kaitlan was glad it was those two.

“Aw Kell,” KAO slung an arm around her pal “I’d loooooove to be your girlfriend.”

Kellan let out a deep belly laugh, thank God Kaitlan was there to make light of a semi-serious situation. She needed the levity because if Kellan was being completely honest, she was nervous as hell. This was a potential story she would tell her and Hallie’s kids one day. Tonight needed to be perfect.

The dynamic duo climbed the stairs to their bedroom and shut the door softly behind them, just missing a certain Alex Morgan, exiting from the bathroom with a shit-eating grin on her face.

_Tobin’s going to lose her mind._

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the last bit feeling rushed, I had to speed type before practice today. Hope you guys enjoyed this little update, I'm hoping to get one out before my game on Saturday but there will definitely be an update by Sunday night-ish. (fingers crossed)
> 
> All the asks I got on tumblr today were AMAZING. I loved talking headcanons with y'all. Don't hesitate to send more in if you ever feel like it @twinswrite.tumblr.com :) 
> 
> Thank you again for reading, you guys are fantastic.


	7. Better to ask permission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one where Kellan asks an important question and Hallie is a space nerd.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the late update! Between weekend games, midterms and this chapter not wanting to cooperate, it's been a weird few days.

Kellan wasn’t necessarily a nervous human. She liked to think that she controlled her anxieties pretty well; excelling in self-talk and calming herself down in stressful situations. But right now, walking up to the small study where her aunts were sitting, Kellan was losing her mind.

For the record, Kellan didn’t even want to talk to her Aunt Ali and Aunt Ashlyn. But Chloe, KAO and their stupid ideas had gotten the best of her. Besides Kellan had never stood a chance against her friends; Chlo was too damn charming and Kaitlan was too damn stubborn for Kellan to argue.

Chloe, Kellan and Kaitlan had been killing time, hiding out in the kitchen until Vanessa, Kling and Morgan had gotten Hallie out of the house. The girls stood around the counter, eating lunch whilst discussing their plan, a sunset picnic in the sunroom with a view of the night sky culminating in a date proposal from Kellan.

“Are you going to ask Aunt Ash for permission to date Hal?” KAO dipped a carrot in ranch.

Kellan wrinkled her nose and shook her head vehemently. “Why would I do that dude?”

Chloe’s eyes went wide, the wheels turning at max pace in her head, her hopeless romantic side kicking in.

“Oh my God Kellan it’ll be chivalrous as hell. Aunt Ali eats that shit up and you’ll earn total brownie points with Auntie Ash.”

“No, we’re not stuck in nineteen fifty-nine you guys. We’re adults”

KAO had set her drink down and looked Kellan dead ass in the eye, causing the younger woman to shirk from her gaze. Kaitlan knew Ashlyn and Ali and she knew that even if it was Kellan dating their daughter, they’d be pretty upset that she didn’t run it by them first.

“Kellan, do it for Hallie’s sake. You know she’d melt in a fucking puddle if you told her.”

So here Kell was, walking around the house trying to psyche herself up, getting ready to ask Hallie’s parents if they would give her their blessing to date their daughter.

The forward stopped in the hallway, just before the study door and quickly threw her long honey brown hair up into a ponytail, fishing out a pre-tied piece of blue pre-wrap from her pocket and slipping the familiar foam headband over her head. Some people had a security blanket, others a stuffed animal, Kellan had blue pre-wrap.

She was definitely her mother’s daughter.

When she was ready, Kell poked her head around the corner and peaked into the small room. Ashlyn and Ali were on opposite ends of the loveseat, legs in between each other, reading separate books with cups of coffee at their sides. Kellan felt a small smile pull at the edges of her mouth, realizing that she and Hallie had been in that exact position before; pouring over their individual textbooks with some random playlist Hallie had thrown together.

It was disgustingly domestic and disgustingly perfect.

Kellan rapped lightly on the doorframe, chuckling at how high Ali jumped in response to the sound.

“Sorry Aunt Ali, do you guys have a moment?”

“What’s up Kells?” Ashlyn shot her a smile, one that had put Kellan at ease for so many years.

The younger girl walked over to her aunts, sitting cross legged on the large armchair opposite them. Ashlyn and Ali had sat up by that point, putting away their books, giving their niece their undivided attention.

Internally, Kellan was freaking out. How _the fuck_ was she supposed to tell the two people she respected most that she was going to date their daughter? For all Kellan knew, Ashlyn and Ali weren’t even aware that Kellan and Hallie were having a thing. How was she supposed to lead this conversation? _Hey Aunt Ash and Aunt Ali, your daughter and I have been hooking up since world cup and now I want to put a ring on it. Is that cool with you?_

Taking a deep breath and folding her trembling hands together, Kellan looked her aunts dead in the eye.

_Might as well jump into it_

“I wanted to let you know that I want to date your daughter, if that’s cool with you.”

_Real fucking eloquent Kellan, great job._

The room was silent for a moment. The older women shared a knowing glance, their motherly intuitions finally confirmed.

If Ali and Ashlyn were being real, they had known about Hallie’s crush on Kellan for the last three years. Hallie Blaire wasn’t subtle when it came to people she liked. Ali remembered nights where Hallie would come home, all worked up, because the latest girl Kellan was dating hadn’t met Hallie’s standards.

“I’m just a concerned best friend Mom, God.” Hallie would insist, storming up to her room where she’d complain to Chloe for minutes on end.

Hallie’s jealousy was exactly how Ashlyn was, so many years ago. To Hal’s moms, it was obvious that the forward and midfielder didn’t have the same chemistry that they shared with their other friends. Kellan and Hallie were dynamic, sharing a spark and intensity for life that seemed to only intensify when they were around each other.

Really, Hallie and Kellan reminded Ali and Ashlyn of themselves.

“Oh babe,” Ashlyn reached out and put a hand on Kellan’s knee “we know.”

Kellan’s jaw dropped. _How the fuck did they know?_

“Hal’s not so subtle.” Ali reassured.

“So,” Ashlyn, fully enjoying this entire situation, obnoxiously cooed “how’d it happen?”

Kellan rolled her eyes, equally relieved and annoyed that her aunts were being so chill about her liking Hallie. She was going to get so much shit from them later.

“You know how Hallie’s like, completely obsessed with looking at the sky?”

~

###  _**Six months earlier** _

If Kellan knew one thing to be absolutely true about Hallie, it was that she loved astronomy. Since she was small, Hallie had been obsessed with space; specifically the stars.  Hal was so high-key about constellations and the like, that Ali and Ashlyn had sent Hallie and her brothers to space camp when she was seven. For the two weeks after her time in Huntsville, the second grader insisted that everybody call her Cadet Krieger.

Space nerd Hallie Harris-Krieger could never pinpoint her favorite thing about space. Something about the night sky, the vastness maybe, had always captured her full attention. Growing up, whenever things felt like they were spiraling out of control or the day’s events had pushed her too far, Hallie would hide in her room until her family had gone to bed and then she would slip out of the house and lay in the grass, allowing herself to get lost in the constellations.

After every major decision, life altering news and milestone that happened in the young midfielder’s life, Hal would find herself outside with her head tilted towards the heavens, finding some sort of peace within the cosmos.

On the deck during a Florida rainstorm was where Ali and Ash found a nine year old Hallie after they informed her that they were moving to Pennsylvania. Hal got teary eyed whenever she thought back to seeing her mothers, leaving the dry warmth of the house to hold their soaked and sobbing third grader while she processed leaving the only home she had known.

In eighth grade, Hallie broke her arm sliding off of the roof she had been perched on for hours after her first kiss with a girl. She barely remembered the pain or the hours spent in the emergency room, but Hallie did remember the cheap vodka tasting lips of the girl on the track team and the subsequent months after; sitting on the same roof with one arm around her girlfriend and another pointing out Cassiopeia.

Seventeen year old Hallie had stood underneath a snow filled sky, yelling and fighting with Ashlyn until she could barely breathe because she refused to give North Carolina the chance Ashlyn had so many years ago.

With all things considered, yeah, Hallie was a space geek; a space geek who kept her time with the stars private. It was her time to reflect, feel and react without the fear of being judged. It was just Hallie and Ursa Major, exchanging silent conversations about the world and how she felt in it.

Keeping this information in mind, Kellan knew that whenever her best friend was unreachable, she’d most likely be stargazing and would come back in her own time. Nobody dared bother her, knowing the emotional hurricane Hallie was probably trying to sort through.

Kellan had been watching a movie in her hotel room, one she shared with Chelsea Masar-McLeod when her phone began buzzing incessantly. Sighing, because she knew that only one person in her life could get away with sending multiple texts in a row. Everyone else knew that it drove the forward _insane_ whenever they didn’t condense their information into one or maybe two texts. 

**Padfoot: Hi yes hello what are you doing rn**

**Padfoot: Kellan.**

**Padfoot: Kells.**

**Padfoot: Kellan Abigail Morgan-Heath.**

**Padfoot: Omg your name sounds like a fucking law firm.**

**Padfoot: I’m gonna call Chetch if you don’t text me back**

**Moony: JFC Hal, what do you want**

**Padfoot: Roof. 5 min. come look at the stars with me.**

Kellan had to re-read the text before believing the words before her eyes. Hallie never, in her twenty one years on God’s green earth, invited anybody to go look at the stars with her.

“Chetch” Kellan used the defender’s nickname “dude, read this”

Chelsea looked away from the TV just in time to catch Kellan’s phone with her left hand. Kellen bit her lip, waiting for the older girl’s opinion on the matter. Kellan knew she shouldn’t be reading into this simple request. But it was Hallie they were talking about.

“I think you should bring a sweatshirt” the brunette playfully smirked at her teammate.

“You’re the worst” the forward grabbed her key and a Duke sweatshirt before slipping out of her room.

Four flights of stairs and one snack stop later, Kellan pushed open the metal door that led out to the hotel’s roof. Kellan took a moment to really take in the view.

The early July night was warm, the sweet and slightly hoppy scent of the city wafted around her. A few cars lingered along the quiet Munich streets, taking their time to get back home. The football stadium was just a few kilometers to the right, lights still on, no doubt getting ready for the next day’s match against Sweden.

Returning her focus to the rooftop in front of her, the forward spotted a figure sitting cross legged on the ground. Hallie’s hair was down, a rarity for the Stanford standout, and a purple fleece blanket was wrapped around her body. A classical lilt played softly from Hal’s phone, adding an extra piece of serenity to the nightscape.

“What’s up space Cadet?”

Hallie gave Kellan a small smile as the forward walked over and sat down on the blanket beside her. The midfielder opened up her arms, inviting Kellan to share the massive blanket her Oma Deb had sewn her.

“You’ve literally had this since you were six” Kellan obliged, scooting closer to Hallie so that their shoulders were barely touching.

“What can I say,” Hal shrugged “Oma Deb knows how to make a solid blanket”

“Go Deb”

The younger girl nodded, returning her focus to the Munich skyline. The best friends sat in a strange silence for a few moments. Kellan was still leery of exactly why Hallie wanted her out here if they were just going to sit quietly. If Kellan knew that all her best friend wanted was company, they could have at least gone inside.

Hallie, on the other hand, was trying to muster up the courage to articulate her feelings. There were a million things she wanted to say but she couldn’t find the words to say them. How do you tell your best friend of twenty-one years that you’re into her?

“Kellan?” Hallie’s voice cracked slightly, her nerves getting the best of her.

Green eyes found hazel and urged them to continue.

“You know how I’m so amped about space?”

Kell nodded “Yeah”

“I’m amped about space because it makes whatever is going wrong in my life feel so insignificant. Like I can feel every worry that I have, melt away when I can see the sky”

Kellan couldn’t help but become completely enamored with the way Hallie’s face lit up while she described the way the cosmos made her feel. The forward felt her heart lurch when Hallie’s nose crinkled and her tongue slipped slightly between her teeth, explaining how happy a clear night sky made her feel.

“I feel like I’m the best version of myself while I’m out here,” Hallie turned to face Kellan, taking her hand lightly “and today, I guess I finally realized that I feel the same way about you.”

~

“But yeah,” Kellan decided to stop her story short, not wanting to delve into the day after and the explicit activities that occurred after beating Sweden “that’s basically how it started.”

“Your daughter is such a sap” Ali let out a watery laugh, taking a moment to wipe her eyes.

Ashlyn, who was equally teary eyed because, god damn it that was cute shook her head and squeezed her wife’s hand.

“She’s her mama’s girl for sure, but Kellan; you have our complete blessing to date Hallie. We honestly couldn’t have asked for a better human. Even if you did graduate from god awful Duke.”

Ali and Ashlyn got up from their spots on the loveseat and pulled the younger girl up and into a tight group hug. Kellan melted into the arms of her best friends, wait _her girlfriend’s,_ parents. Even though she had been resistant to the idea, Kell was absolutely relieved that she had gotten Ali and Ashlyn’s blessing.

Hallie had always sought her parents’ approval, even when she didn’t exactly agree with them (see North Carolina incident of 2030). So the fact that Kellan had gone to the two people Hall respected the most, to seek their approval, would totally earn her brownie points.

_God damn it Chloe was right._

The three women pulled apart, laughing to themselves about the slight spectacle they had been.

“So have you already asked her out?” Ali inquired.

Kellan shook her head slowly, an idea forming in her head.

“Actually,” she looked deviously between the two older women before her “can I ask you for a favor?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts? Feelings? Concerns? Questions about our dorks falling in love? Come yell at us over on tumblr at twinswrite.tumblr.com


	8. Kid can't catch a break

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hallie just wants to talk to Kellan but that's apparently not an option.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Little sneak peak before the big update Sunday! Also thank you to all of you so actively involved in the headcanons and development of this lil world. We're grateful and love you all!

After her lunch with Chloe, armed with the realization that she’d have to take matters into her own hands and tell Kellan how she felt, Hallie tried to get the forward alone for more than thirty seconds.

And what a fucking train wreck that turned out to be.

Every time Hallie attempted to pull Kellan aside something rather, _somebody,_ would interrupt them and pull either girl off in a different direction. Hallie knew, she totally knew, that her family was made up entirely of cock blockers. That was just innate knowledge Hal grew up having. But _god damn_ these humans were relentless.  

Her first effort began with a simple “let’s go watch a movie” once the group had ventured back home from snowboarding and shopping.

 Hallie couldn’t have missed the sparkle in Kellan’s eye at her suggestion. Hal also didn’t miss the high-pitched “oh we’re coming too!” squeals of Pinoe, Syd, Lauren, Amy, Moe and Kling. So instead of discussing their future as a couple, Hallie and Kellan were squished in between their aunts while watching Love Actually.

How _fucking_ fitting.

The second time happened right after dinner, the 35ers were on clean-up duty. Chloe, KAO and Vanessa were putting away leftovers and wiping down the dining room table while Kell and Hal were doing dishes. Hallie figured that standing next to each other, with their arms elbow deep in dishwater, was a perfect time to discuss their relationship status. But of course, Chloe had to switch with Kellan because dealing with congealed gravy wasn’t in her job description.

The midfielder waited for a few more hours, trying to distract herself by playing endless rounds of Monop Deal with her aunts and giggling hysterically when Press destroyed all of them while Alex threw another tantrum. By the time Hallie had worked up her courage again, it was past midnight and Kellan had already left family game night in favor of her bed.

 _The morning_ Hallie told herself before falling asleep _I’ll totally tell her in the morning_

Except for Hallie Blaire forgot to set her alarm and by the time she woke up, at an uncharacteristically late seven-thirty, Kellan and the rest of the five were long gone.

“Can a kid catch a fucking break?” Hal huffed, rolling herself out of bed.

Already annoyed and not wanting to deal with anything, the twenty-one year old changed out of her pajamas and into a pair of Stanford sweatpants and a Chicago Red Stars t-shirt. She slipped out of her room and into the dimly lit hall.

“Hey goobers,” out of the corner of her eye, Hallie caught Kling and Morgan walking towards their own bedroom.

Meghan and Moe paused, wearing identical ‘deer in the headlights’ expressions, and slowly turned around to face Hallie.

The girl they were told to keep away from the study later.

For the plan  

Kellan’s plan

The plan for _Hallie_

“Um,” Hal was wary of their suspicious faces but ultimately chalked it up to them pranking Pinoe and being on edge “are my parents awake?”

“They’re in the study” Morgan blurted out, earning her an elbow to the ribs from Meghan.

Morgan shook her head at Kling, not quick enough to detail a plausible lie. Kling shrugged and fidgeted with her fingers nervously. _Don’t tell Hallie. Don’t tell Hallie that Kellan is with Ali and Ashlyn. Don’t. Tell. HALLIE._

“Oh but the door is locked. You know the drill, locked door, don’t go in. Adult stuff” Kling stammered, effectively weirding out Moe and Hallie.

“Oh my God that’s disgusting. But thanks I guess; weirdos.”

Hallie excused herself from the increasingly awkward hallway and walked downstairs to the kitchen, mumbling ‘good mornings’ and ‘yeah I slept okay’ to the aunts who were already awake.

Hal took a seat on a barstool at the kitchen counter next to Becky who, as she was reading the Vancouver paper, wordlessly slid her niece a mug of steaming fresh coffee. A small gasp escaped the younger girl’s lips as her hands wrapped appreciatively around the hot cup.

“I love you Aunt Becky”

“You’re using me but I love you too Hal pal” Becky pressed a casual kiss to Hallie’s head when the Stanford grad rested her head against Becky’s arm.

They sat like that for a few minutes, quietly discussing current events while family members came and went into the massive kitchen and dining room in search of breakfast.  

“Morning sweet girl,” JJ came up from behind, wrapping her arms around her goddaughter’s shoulders.

Christen quickly appeared at Julie’s side, enveloping both of the women into a warm group hug.

“Hi pretty lady”

Hallie relaxed in her godmother’s embrace, she missed being around them so often. Traveling with the National team and then spending summer break away from Stanford forced the graduate miss out on Press-Johnston family dinners, Friday nights babysitting her two favorite little people and JJ’s famous pancakes.

“Can you guys adopt me? My parents are ignoring me in favor of each other and I think that’s grounds for terminated parental rights.”

Press and Julie laughed, agreeing to adopt Hallie as Hadley and Olivia’s little sister, before turning to leave.

She watched her godparents exit the kitchen, holding each other’s hand tightly and chuckling about something only those two knew about.

Hallie had always admired Christen and Julie’s relationship. They had made the transition from teammates to friends to partners rather seamlessly. Minus that little scavenger hunt hiccup caused by Dumb and Dumber, Pressy and JJ had a love that Hallie wanted. She wanted her best friend to go through life with her, laughing the entire time.

But at this rate Hallie would have to win another two World Cups to ever see that happen.

“Hey, Space Cadet”

A low voice snapped Hallie out of her daze.

The midfielder refocused her vision to pay attention to her friend. Standing on the other side of the counter was V. The forward was already dressed, rocking a pair of Nordic fleece leggings; a thick Nike coat and a purple beanie. Hallie raised an eyebrow; it was rare that Vanessa wore anything other than a dress or her soccer gear.

“Holy shit, are you actually wearing pants?”

Vanessa simultaneously crossed her arms and rolled her eyes.

“You’re lucky I love you and I’m gonna let that one slide, but you have fifteen minutes to get ready because we’re going boarding with my mom, Pinoe, Moe and Kling.”

“That actually sounds pretty rad” Hallie perked up at the thought of getting out of the house, a few hours on the slopes with some of the funniest people in her life would do her well.

“Atta girl, now hurry up and get ready. I’ll wait here.”

Hallie jumped off the stool, squealing in protest when Vanessa quickly slapped her ass, and sprinted up to her room.

Once Hallie was officially out of the way, Vanessa whipped her phone out and pulled up a thread.

**Boo Boos: Chip is officially on board.**

**Boo Boos: a snowboard. heh**

**Baby Irish: Minus ten to Hufflepuff for terrible jokes, plus two for completing phase 1**

**Kells: Sweet! Thnx V, I owe you.**

**ChloYolo: God bless. KAO meet me n Kell. 5 mins. Sun room.**

Vanessa smirked at her phone, impressed with herself for her joke and also for not blowing her cover. She just prayed that her friend’s elaborate plan would actually work out.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're over at twinswriteuswnt.tumblr.com   
> It's pretty fun over there sometimes?


	9. Trouble in O'Solo-dise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chloe just wanted to hang out with her moms. Was that too much to ask?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay guys, the creative mojo was just not flowing for me this week. Next update will be better but have some O'Solo.

By nature Chloe was ambitious. She had a list of goals and would stop at nothing to achieve them, crushing any obstacle that came her way. Her family joked that Chloe put blinders on whenever she needed to get something accomplished. It was Chlo’s favorite “Hope Solo” trait her Mom has passed onto her.

Although her determination and extreme focus were admirable, Chloe often found herself ignoring other aspects and responsibilities in her life. Her lack of balance would explain how she had C average in English throughout high school and made the Under 17 team as a fourteen year old.

This being said, with all of the drama surrounding her two best friends the keeper may have forgotten that her parents were on this vacation as well. So after a quick meeting with Kellan and KAO about their individual tasks for the day, Chloe set off in search of a few minutes of Mamas and Chloe time.

The blonde walked through the kitchen and dining room to the small bedroom just to the right of the grand wooden staircase. Before Chlo had reached the door she knew something was wrong. A sick gnawing in the pit of her stomach, a sensation she hadn’t felt in over five years, came flooding back.

Her parents were fighting.

The heavy oak door was shut and Chloe found it was locked after a quiet pressing of the handle. Deciding to wait a bit before announcing her presence, the twenty-one year old pressed an ear to the cold wood and tried to listen to the muffled disagreement on the other side.

“Jesus Christ Kelley, are you fucking serious?” Chloe cringed as she heard the unmistakable furious shrill of Hope’s voice.

Kelley’s response was dangerously low, a register so infrequently visited by the cheerful mother of two that it sent a small chill down Chlo’s spine.

“She wanted to know apparently, I sure as hell didn’t tell her.”

“You didn’t tell her? Well then who the hell—

Chloe picked the perfect moment to enter the room, standing just inside the door frame with her hands awkwardly wringing at her midsection.

Her parents, who were standing at the end of the bed on opposite sides, immediately let their mutual frustration go when their oldest child appeared. Hope’s face softened, losing the cold and menacing expression she had been wearing moments earlier.

“Hi Chlo”

Kelley ran a hand through her hair. Of course her daughter would walk in and probably pick up on everything they had been arguing about. Kell offered up a small smile as she sat down on the edge of the bed.

“What’s up little squirrel?”

“No,” Chloe shook her head suddenly feeling anger burn through her veins “no you can’t just ‘what up little squirrel’ me after you two fought like that. What’s going on?”

Her mothers were speechless. Chloe was naturally a bold kid. She had O’Hara energy and Solo stubbornness filling her tall frame; of course she was going to call them out on their shit.

Kelley turned around and gave Hope a defeated look. She was too mentally drained to explain the entire situation.

“I defer to you babe.”

Hope nodded and crossed her arms before raising an eyebrow and looking Chloe dead in the eye.

“Did you know your sister was going to meet her biological father yesterday afternoon?”

The weight of Hope’s question settled on Chloe’s shoulders and the twenty one year old immediately felt uncomfortable. She shifted awkwardly on her toes and began to mindlessly gnaw on the inside of her lip. Chloe figured she had two options at this point.

One was to lie her ass off and say she had absolutely no clue that Payton had planned to meet up with her sperm donor when their parents were conveniently out of the country on vacation. A meeting that she may or may not have helped set up in the first place.

The second route entailed being a good sister and decent human by telling the truth. The truth was that the girls had been semi-curious about the other half of their biological mark-up. Chloe had found her donor by accident about three years ago, rummaging through her parents old files for something and ended up coming across a photo of a dude who looked like herself.

Chloe never pursued the idea of meeting up with one Oliver Brooks. She figured that she made it that far without him that she last the rest of her life and be fine. Payton was a different story.

Payton had gone balls to the wall, Veronica Mars, deep into searching for her donor. Scouring files and requesting information from the Cyro bank in Cap Hill their parents had gone to. The littlest O’Hara-Solo was hell-bent on finding out where she genetically came from.

With Hope’s eyes on her and the pressure of Kellan and Hallie’s impending relationship status in the back of her mind, Chloe exhaled a breath of annoyance. _Payton was totally going to owe her one._

“Yes. I helped her out and before you yell at me,” Chloe raised her voice when she saw the rage ignite in her mother’s blue eyes. “You should just know that P didn’t actually go through with it. She chickened out.”

The relief that washed over both Hope and Kelley became evident as their faces relaxed and a collective breath was released. The wives glanced at each other, eyes apologetic and saying everything the other needed to hear, before turning back to their daughter who now had a panic stricken expression gracing her young face. Chloe had her phone out, rapidly texting as fast as her thumbs allowed.

“What’s wrong Clover?” Kelley stood up, walking over to her daughter and laying a hand on her arm.

“You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me,” Chloe handed her phone over to Kelley before rushing out of the room.

“What the hell was that about?” Hope made it to Kelley’s side and read the text thread over her wife’s shoulders.

**Boo Boos: CODE RED KLING BROKE HAL'S ARM SHREDDING GNAR**

**Kells: this better be a damn joke V**

**Boo Boos: I can send you a photo**

**Boo Boos: [[See 1 attachment]]**

**Baby Irish: holy shit**

**Kid Yolo: Cute boarding coat tho Hal**

**Kells: JESUS CHRIST CHLOE**

**Baby Irish: OMFG CHLO FOCUS**

**Boo Boos: already called A &A but tl;dr Kling broke Hal’s arm. Going to hospital now**

**Kells: I literally cannot win. We're on our way.**

 

 


	10. The kid catches a break

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> THINGS HAPPEN

“Wait Doctor Madison; can I get a black stripe down the side? My soccer team’s colors are blue and black.”

“Sure thing. You play for the Seattle Reign right? My daughter’s a big fan” Mitchell Madison cut a single strip of black fiberglass to add to his patient’s dark blue scheme.

“Yes sir! Tell your daughter I said hi” Hallie’s eyes sparkled as she took her phone out to tweet about her new arm candy.

**@HallieBlaire18: _When it Reign’s it pours. Thanks @DMMadison for the sick new cast! Sorry Coach… Blame the @ThornsFC & @MeghanKling @SeattleReignFC. _**

“Your parents are going to kill me” Kling groaned, putting her head in her hands.

The twenty-one year old raised a single eyebrow and smiled. Truth be told, Hallie wasn’t even that phased by the accident. She knew going into the snowboarding excursion with three of her most accident prone aunts that there was bound to be an injury. Injuries usually happened whenever Kling and Hallie got together anyways; it was to be expected.

The day had started normally. Syd, Vanessa, Pinoe, Moe, Kling and Hallie had gotten their boards and skis waxed, took a shot of whiskey before setting out on the various runs. Syd, Vanessa and Morgan decided to take the easier runs while daredevils Pinoe, Kling and Hal went straight for the double blacks.

Everything was fine until the three women got onto the lift and Meghan began to nervously chat about how “she wasn’t really sure when the last time she took a double black diamond run, if _ever_ ”

When it came time for the three to exit the lift, Meghan “tiny badass” Klingenberg was gripping onto her niece for dear life. Hallie and Megan tried to soothe their smallest counterpart, assuring her that there were only a few switchbacks that were tricky.

But Kling was having none of it.

Megan jumped off first, zooming down the run with her ridiculous shark beanie flapping wildly behind her. While Hallie didn’t even make it halfway down the mountain before Meghan crashed wildly into her, forcing the younger girl to fall on her arm, all her weight crunching into her elbow.

“Aunt Meghan, this isn’t the first time I’ve been in a cast. My mom’s will be fine but I think Coach is gonna be pissed you broke her starting middy.”

Hal watched in amusement as Meghan’s face paled with the possibility of getting her ass chewed by Wambach. She had never been on Abby’s bad side and had made it a point to never get there.

“I’m dead. My kid will lose another mother.”

“Jesus,” Hallie couldn’t help but let out a snort “that got dark Aunt Meghan.”

“MEGHAN FUCKING KLINGENBERG.” The booming voice of one Abby Wambach could be heard from behind the thick oak door of the examination room.

Before Kling or Hal had the chance to respond, a group of angry and concerned middle aged women came storming into the room, jostling Hallie’s newly casted arm in the process.

“CHIP YOUR ARM WAS IN A NINETY DEGREE ANGLE” Chloe yelled the first to burst into the room. She lovingly pinched her best friend’s face before jumping onto the table beside her.

Vanessa came trotting in after Chloe, waving her phone. “Hal, your cast tweet just started an NWSL twitter war and I am living my fullest life right now. Even that new club in LA is getting into it. Nice job my friend.”

“A Reign cast?” Hope placed a kiss on her niece’s forehead “I knew you were my favorite”

“Hi my love,” Ali cupped her daughter’s face while Ash looked her kid over, inspecting for any further injuries “how are you feeling?”

Abby stood in front of Kling, towering over the tiny defender who was already sitting down.

“You broke my starting midfielder,”

“I’M SORRY”

“-Kling this is literally worse than JJ’s fuck up against Germany”

“HEY” Julie protested from the back.

“I didn’t mean to!” Meghan huffed, feeling like a child scolded.  

“Neither did I!” JJ attempted to defend herself.

“Sick cast Chips!” Pinoe ruffled Hal’s ponytail “Can I sign it?”

The entire family had crowded themselves into the exam room, squishing together like sardines, talking loudly over each other. Some asking about Hallie’s current state, others joking that they needed to take out a Meghan Klingenberg insurance policy and lastly, Abby and Carli scolding Meghan for being so irresponsible.

“Um, excuse me?” Dr. Madison cleared his throat, garnering the attention of the 15ers “I need to see Ms. Harris-Krieger’s parents in my office and I would like the rest of you to please leave and wait in the _waiting_ room.”

“Can I have someone stay in here with me?” Hallie quietly requested, not wanting to be alone.

From her position in the far corner, Chloe grabbed Kellan’s hand and lifted it high above their heads.

“KELLAN VOLUNTEERS AS TRIBUTE”

The entire family gave Chloe weird looks, but then shook it off; chalking it up to her spastic O’Hara genes coming to light.

Dr. Madison nodded is approval and waited until the family cleared out, leaving Hallie with kisses and pats on the back, before shutting the door to leave Kellan and Hallie to wait.

“That cast is gross” Kellan nervously teased, suddenly becoming very aware that this was the first time in weeks she and Hallie had been alone in a room together.

Hallie scoffed, patting the empty space next to her, inviting Kellan to sit.

“You’re gross.”

“Good one Hal” a goofy grin came over Kellan’s face as she sat next to her best friend.

The two sat in silence for a few moments, Kellan’s left hand grazing Hallie’s as if it was asking permission to take the soft hand in her own.

“You know you can just hold my hand without asking right Kells? I feel like we’re past this.”

Kellan smiled, not even caring that Hallie called her out. She took Hal’s hand and played gently with her fingers, taking in the softness of the small callouses that formed on her fingers from playing years of piano and cello.

She loved those hands; the hands that gripped her jersey in celebration. They were the same digits that left marks down her back for days, those same hands that had slipped so easily into hers since they were toddlers running around the pitch.

They sat in silence for a beat until Hallie couldn’t take it anymore. She had to say something.

“Kell,” Hallie turned to face her “Kell, what are we doing?”

The forward tilted her head and scrunched her face in confusion.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, what are we?” Hallie pulled her hand away from Kellan’s grasp and began fiddling with the hem of her long sleeve. She took a deep breath, trying to clear any sign of the tears forming in her eyes, before launching into everything her heart had been saying for the last six months.

“We’re best friends who sneak into closets and steal away late at night to fields in order to make out or we have sex in the weirdest places just so our teammates and families don’t find out. We’re literally our parents and we’ve spent so long trying not to be them that we’ve become them. Kellan, I want to date you and I want to tell everyone about it and I just don’t see why—“

Cold hands grabbed her face and lips crashed messily and perfectly into her own in a declaration of agreement.

Hallie reached with her good arm and pulled at the long light brown waves, never feeling like she was close enough to the woman she loved. Kellan wrapped her hand around Hal’s back, pulling her tightly and never wanting to let go. She deepened the kiss, telling Hallie everything the midfielder needed to know, sealing her answer with a gentle bite of her lip.

“I leave you alone for two minutes and you’re already making out?” Chloe’s voice pulled the two women away from each other, lips swollen and faces flush.

“You literally never knock you fucking idiot.” Kellan teased, only half kidding.

Chloe smirked and pushed the door open for her two best friends.

“If I knocked I’d miss everything great. Now come on, we’re ready to leave and we still have a plan to follow. Even if Hal beat us to it.”

Hallie raised an eyebrow “A plan?”

Kellan shook her head, planting on last kiss to Hallie’s cheek before following Chloe out of the door.

“Don’t ask and please just pretend to be surprised.”

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry this took forever and it's not even that long but like guys, only two chapters left!! This is crazy. Much love and thanks for sticking with us!!


	11. It's always been you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hal and V have a moment and Hallie can't stop crying.

"Hallie Blaire I swear to God I will break your other arm if you don't stop peeking." Vanessa threatened her best friend as she guides the blindfolded midfielder through the hallways.

"V I'm not!" Hallie weakly lied.

Vanessa scoffed and rolled her eyes. Hallie had always hated surprises. Apparently KAO caught her trying to guilt trip Klingenmoe into telling her what her friends were up to. The Tarheel had to banish her friend to Press and JJ's room until it was go time.

"Chips," V stopped abruptly "you're a shit liar but you can take off the blindfold now."

"Thank God. Also I know this is Chloe's, it smells like sweat. Tell her to wash this because I literally think it's been two years" Hallie shuddered as she handed the red bandana over.

The forward let out a laugh before suddenly feeling serious, a mood rarely channeled by the Dwyer Daughter. V put a hand on Hallie's shoulder, giving the girl a final once over.

Hallie was dressed in a simple navy blue dress, gray cardigan.and a pair of nude flats borrowed from Christen. Her coffee colored hair was in a simple fishtail braid that cascaded over her shoulder.

Hallie was perfect and Vanessa couldn't help but get a little emotional.

She, Chloe and KAO had watched Kellan and Hallie dance around each other for years. Even when they were toddlers, the other three girls knew that Kell and Hal's bond was different. It was just a matter of when they would figure their shit out.

They were Vanessa's favorite love story and she was honored to be a part of it.

"Ready Hallie Wallie?" Vanessa softly teased.

Hal's eyes twinkled at the mention of her childhood nickname.

"You haven't called me that since we were like, six; but yes."

The middy pulled her friend into a hug with her good arm and inhaled V's signature scent of cherry blossoms and spearmint gum.

"Thanks for being one of my best friends V. I, we I guess, really appreciate it."

"Anytime Chips, now get off before you fall in love with me." Vanessa sniffed because of allergies and not feelings damnit, and pushed Hallie towards the door.

-

If she was being honest, Hallie genuinely didn't know what to expect when she walked into the sun room. But she sure as hell didn't expect to immediately break down into tears.

The one wall in the sun room that wasn't fully glass, had been covered in polaroid's , drawings and handwritten notes that seemed to all be related to the topic of Hallie and Kellan.

Fairy lights hung along the edge of the wall, illuminating the room in a soft yellow glow, adding to the glittery tint of the moon's light reflecting off of the steady snowfall.

Hallie put her hand over her mouth as she lingered over each photo or note, trying her best to keep her shit together.

There was a three by five photo of herself and Kellan after Stanford beat Duke for the title Hal's freshman year. They were both covered in mud, grass stains, Kellan's sock ripped so badly her shin guards were showing and Hallie had the beginnings of a black eye (Thank you Kennedy Ohai) but they looked like the two happiest girls in the world.

Photos of them alone, with the Tribe, the National team and Hallie's personal favorite: a picture of Hallie and Kellan cuddling Lauren and Lori on the day they retired.

Hal felt her heart lurch as a painting, definitely a VDwyer original, of herself and Kellan as toddlers intertwined in each others limbs, hung in the center of the wall with a note in KAO's handwriting.

"It's been you since the beginning." She whispered, tears once again threatening to flow.

Hallie continued pouring over the wall, she didn't hear the door open or see Kellan slip inside.

"Hey," the forward cleared her throat, causing the younger girl to jump and clutch her chest in fear.

"Damn it Kellan"

Kellan laughed, crossing the room to gather Hallie in a tight embrace. The pair held onto each other, soaking up the soft sound of Barcelona playing from a speaker as the snow began to fall harder.

Kellan took her hand, lifting Hallie's chin, studying her splash of freckles and teary eyes before leaning in to kiss her.

"I can't believe you pulled this off, like how did you get Chloe to keep her mouth shut?" Hallie whispered against Kell's lips.

She shrugged and kissed Hal's nose.

"I bribed her with twenty bucks and the promise that you'd get one Chip and Dale weekend a month"

"Ah gotcha, also Kell, like I know your body pretty well but something is poking me in the thigh."

"Oh shit right, uh," Kellan fidgeted in the pocket of her black skinny jeans and pulled out a precarious small box.

Hallie felt her stomach stop and a cold sweat break out on her forehead when she saw long fingers grip a ring box.

"What the hell dude?" Hal's voice was small and quiet.

The older girl couldn't help but laugh at how pale and terrified the younger looked. She took Hallie's left hand and kissed the back of it gently.

"Chill out Chip. Do you remember how you lost the necklace that Mama Cheney got us for our eighteenth birthdays?"

Hallie nodded, remembering the simple copper bar on a copper chain with her birthday engraved on it. She had lost the necklace about a month prior on a surf trip to Hawaii with a few of her teammates.

"Well, you didn't lose it. I had Harper steal it from your bag while we shredded."

Kellan then opened the box to reveal Hallie's polished necklace with 1.23.14.

Hal plucked the necklace and turned it over in her hands to see the modifications Kellan put on it.

On the back of the necklace was 12.15.35 KMH+HHK was engraved on the back.

"Hallie Blaire," Kellan slipped the necklace over Hallie's head "will you officially be my girlfriend?"

Overcome with emotions, Hallie launched herself into Kellan's arms. She had been waiting for this moment for what seemed like forever. So of course her body's only reaction was to cry.

"Yes! A million times yes!"

Kellan beamed, she did it. She finally fucking got the girl. Kell caught Hallie's chin once more and pulled her in for a deep kiss.

"GUYS DID YOU--" a voice shattered the moment

"GET THE FUCK OUT CHLOE" Kellan roared, flipping the keeper off in the process.

"Jesus, sorry" Chlo grumbled, exiting the room.

Hallie giggled at how cute Kellan became when flustered and began kissing her way down her neck.

"The girl never knocks" she murmured deciding to bite at Kellan's ear, a move that always got her whatever she wanted.

The forward let out an involuntary gasp. This girl would be the death of her.

Kellan glanced at her watch. 7:45. They had fifteen minutes.

"We're supposed to go out with everyone at eight. Remember the time at Algarve Cup last year?"

Hallie nodded as she kept working on leaving her mark right above.her girlfriend's collarbone. They had only ten minutes that day and Hallie was pretty sure they set a record for quickest beach sex.

"Think you beat that with one arm?" Kellan challenged.

Apparently that struck a nerve in Hallie because the younger girl responded by firmly biting her skin. Hazel eyes looked in Kellan's green with a dangerous and competitive glint.

"Babe, when have I ever needed my hands?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay guys! Computer troubles! Let us know what you think!


	12. With you? Any day.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hal's nervous and Chloe's an exhibitionist. But we all knew that.

5 months later

“Are you guys nervous?” Rhys LePeilbet nudged Hallie as they walked out of Mile High stadium from the day’s training session. 

 

The two friends walked ahead of their twenty one other teammates who were all chattering, excited about having the next twenty four hours off minus a light workout the next morning before their last send-off game against New Zealand for the Olympics. 

 

Hallie shrugged, adjusting her backpack straps a little tighter. 

 

“I mean, it’s just like any other interview we’ve done together, except this time I’ll call her my girlfriend instead of my best friend. I dunno Rhys, am I supposed to be nervous?”

 

The defender laughed playfully tugging Hallie’s ponytail as they trotted up and into the bus. 

 

Hallie and Kellan, after telling their teammates that they were  _ finally _ together and after Harper collected her winnings, decided to tell the coaching staff that they were dating. At the recommendation of their parents and their beloved Auntie Babs, Hallie and Kellan decided to do a brief press conference disclosing their relationship and reassuring the public that they’d be professionals and bring that gold medal home. 

 

“Listen kid,” Rhys found her seat that she’d had for the last three years across the aisle from Hal.

 

“You’re literally a year older than me Rhys” Hallie rolled her eyes

 

“Shut up Chips, anyway you have nothing to worry about. You guys are like, the ultimate power couple and you know if there’s any backlash your moms and the 15ers will handle it” Rhys reassured her friend as Halston Lindsey plopped down into Rhys’s lap, refusing to move to her seat by the window. 

 

Hallie groaned half-heartedly. Rhys was right, if Hallie or Kellan got any sort of ill treatment their parents and the rest of their soccer family would handle it in ways Hallie didn’t want to know about. It was embarrassing but also reassuring that they had an entire community supporting them. 

 

“I know, you’re right but it’s just so damn formal. Can’t I just tweet about it?” Hallie whined, leaning into Harper as the girl sat down. 

 

“Tweet about what Chippy?” Harper pulled her Stanford buddy close to her chest, patting Hallie’s head like she would a child’s. 

 

“She wants to tweet to the public that she’s fucking Kellan” Halston gave a cheeky grin, proud of herself for having caught up on the conversation. 

 

Hallie flipped off the nineteen year old and grumbled into Harper’s sweatshirt. 

 

“I’m sorry what was that Hal?” Harper nudged her friend to use her words. 

 

Hallie sat up and ran her hands down her face “I just wanna make out on the field in front of a crowd and leave it at that.”

 

“I’ve been suggesting that for MONTHS and YOU wouldn’t go for it.” Chloe piped up from the seat behind Hallie. 

 

“Chloe you suggested they have sex on field. Like we all know you’re the exhibitionist but some of us like keeping out clothes on while we play soccer.” Chelsea contributed. 

 

“Shut up McLeod, your own mother stripped on field. You can’t say shit” Rhys teased her favorite Canadian. 

 

Chelsea rolled her eyes and returned to her book. They were right. She couldn’t say anything. 

 

“It’s going to be fine Hal Pal,” Chloe reached over the seats and ruffled her friend’s hair.

Hallie murmured her agreement and went back to chatting quietly with Harper, Rhys and Halston. Every so often the twenty-two year old would look over her shoulder towards the back of the bus to check on Kellan. Kellan sat with Casey Long, the two deep in conversation. Hal smiled, with every passing day she realized she was falling more and more in love with Kellan Morgan-Heath and it was oddly reassuring that soon the world would know too. 

 

“Oh shit, this is unexpected” Casey Long’s voice rang loud and clear over the general din of the bus. 

 

The team all looked out of Casey’s side of the bus and saw the hoards of press surrounding their vehicle, all screaming for Hallie and Kellan. The bus rolled to a stop and the team began to file out. 

 

All except for Hallie and Kellan. 

 

Hallie had been rooted in her seat, waiting for her teammates to get off. As the final teammate got out, Hallie let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. 

 

“Nervous?” Kellan’s voice snapped Hal out of her head. 

 

The midfielder let out a nervous chuckle and nodded. Kellan, ever the gentlewoman, extended her hand out to her girlfriend. Hallie gratefully took it, falling into Kellan’s body for a hug when she stood up. 

 

They stood together for a moment, breathing each other in, creating a sense of calm that only the other could bring out. Kellan pulled away first and took Hallie’s face in her hands, placing a series of gentle kisses all over the lightly sunburned and freckled face she loved so much. 

 

“Ready to enter the fray Chip?”

 

Hallie nodded, kissing Kellan deeply. 

 

“With you? Any day.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GUYS WE MADE IT!! Thank you all for sticking with us through this crazy, weird and often confusing AU. We couldn't have done it without you.   
> So we're thinking of doing another AU? What? Who said that. 
> 
> Jesus Christ. 
> 
> @twinswriteuswnt on tumblr if you wanna, you know, join the fuckery.


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